This invention is directed to a light-weight, universally sized prosthetic limb for supporting a person having a residual limb, and in particular to a prosthetic limb having an adjustable socket and support for receiving and supporting the residual limb of persons of varying height and weight.
Heretofore, persons that have suffered the loss of a portion of their leg, by amputation, and have been left with a residual limb, have resorted to the use of prosthetic appliances, and in particular custom made prosthetic limbs for support and ambulation. These prosthetic limbs must be custom made because of the individual deviation in height and weight of each person, and more importantly, the individual idiosyncratic physiological condition of the residual limb including, but not limited to, the length of the residual limb, the possible weight fluctuations thereof and the atrophy of the limb that occurs after amputation. An additional physiologic condition that must be taken into account in women is menstral weight fluctuation.
Because each prosthetic limb must be custom made to accommodate the individual idiosyncratic physiologic conditions noted above, such limbs cannot be mass produced, thereby considerably increasing the cost thereof. Moreover, because custom made prosthetic limbs are made of materials that can be shaped to accommodate the individual idiosyncratic physiologic conditions noted above, these materials (metal, wood, etc.) are subject to environmental degradation such as by rusting, rotting, warping and fatigue.
Because custom made prosthetic limbs are formed of materials that are likely to rust, warp and fatigue, they are incapable of use in routine hygiene activities such as washing and showering. Because most custom made prosthetic limbs cannot be utilized to perform such activities, the upper arms must be utilized for support and balance, thereby rendering it difficult for the amputee to complete hygiene activities that are easily completed by a non-amputee. Accordingly, a prosthetic limb capable of adjusting to all physiologic variations of the amputee population such as the length of the residual limb, diameter of the residual limb, and fluctuations likely to result therein, and that is environmentally resistant and is easily secured to the limb would eliminate many of the disadvantages noted above.